Resident’s home destroyed
MOKANE, Nov. 3, 2014 — American Red Cross Heart of Missouri Chapter volunteers are assisting a Mokane resident whose home burned Saturday.
The Red Cross contacted the resident Saturday evening, but the individual, who lived on County Road 470, decided to meet with volunteers Sunday.
Volunteers provided the client with financial assistance to meet immediate emergency needs with the purchase of food and clothing. The client also received a Red Cross comfort kit, which contains personal hygiene items.
The client is staying with relatives.
Red Cross volunteers will monitor the client’s recovery process.

Family of six displaced
COLUMBIA — American Red Cross Heart of Missouri Chapter volunteers are assisting a six-member Columbia family who lost their home Monday morning in a fire.
Parents sent four children to stay with relatives while they watched their home on E Prathersville Road burn.
Volunteers from Callaway County met with family members and provided financial assistance for them to meet their immediate emergency needs.
Parents received assistance to purchase a two-night hotel stay and food. Volunteers gave Red Cross comfort kits, which contain personal hygiene items, to the adults.
The Red Cross also provided a clothing allowance for all six family members.
Volunteers will continue to monitor the family’s recovery.
The Red Cross responded to a fire Saturday on West Ash Street and assisted two residents.

Seven-member family displaced
CLARENCE — American Red Cross Heart of Missouri Chapter volunteers are assisting a Clarence family of seven displaced Saturday by a fire at their home.
The family, three adults and four children, lived on Elm Street.
Red Cross volunteers provided financial assistance for the family to meet their immediate emergency needs with the purchase of food and clothing, which included seasonal garments.
Family members also received Red Cross comfort kits, which contain personal hygiene items.
The family is staying with relatives.

Two displaced
COLUMBIA — American Red Cross Heart of Missouri Chapter volunteers are assisting two Columbia residents whose home burned Saturday afternoon.
The clients lived on West Ash Street.
Volunteers met with the clients and provided financial assistance to meet their immediate emergency needs with the purchase of a two-night motel stay, food and clothing.
Clients also received Red Cross comfort kits, which contain personal hygiene items, and referrals to local partner agencies.
Volunteers will monitor the client’s recovery process.

Delta Sigma Phi members donated $867 to the chapter
ROLLA—Co-eds bidding on distinctive dates with members of Delta Sigma Phi at the University of Missouri S&T not only were treated to a unique experience.
Top bidders in the “Date a Delta Sig” fundraiser helped the fraternity raise money for the American Red Cross Heart of Missouri Chapter
Fraternity members donated $867 to the chapter this week from the event ‘s proceeds.
“Delta Sigma Phi has partnered with the chapter for a couple of years now,” said Executive Director Dave Griffith. “This is a fun event that at the same time raises money to help us deliver our mission.
“We really appreciate the efforts of these young men.”
The event involved fraternity members auctioning themselves off based on their date ideas.
The chapter’s Brittany Buehrlen accepted the donation Thursday on the chapter’s behalf

Four-member family displaced
MONTGOMERY CITY — American Red Cross Heart of Missouri Chapter volunteers are assisting a rural Montgomery City family of four whose home was damaged early Sunday morning by fire.
A family member called the Red Cross Sunday afternoon. Two local volunteers responded to the scene on Bent Horseshoe Lane and met with the family.
The Red Cross provided financial assistance for the family, two adults and two children, to meet their immediate emergency needs with the purchase of food and clothing.
Family members also received Red Cross comfort kits, which contain personal hygiene items.
Relatives provided the family with a camper to live in temporarily.
Red Cross volunteers will monitor the family’s recovery process.

Recovery a struggle for some
Residents affected by the Oct. 3 fire that destroyed a housing unit at the Evergreen Apartments in Holts Summit continue to turn to the American Red Cross Heart of Missouri Chapter for help.
Recovery has been challenging, but progressive, for some, while the transition to a new normal has been difficult for others.
”There are a lot of people who haven’t gotten that far,” said Phillip Iman, chapter disaster specialist.
Iman along with Kath Mayne, another chapter disaster specialist, have been working with and advising families and individuals displaced after fire gutted the 30-unit facility on a Friday afternoon.
“I had two different households that were in here this morning and they are still struggling,” Iman said Monday. “They are living on people’s couches. We’re working with them so they can meet their basic needs with food and clothing. We’re doing that through partner referrals.”
The chapter set up an incident command center at a Holts Summit Police Department facility to meet with clients in the first hours after the fire.
Chapter recovery efforts now are coordinated with the Salvation Army in Jefferson City and Columbia, SERVE in Fulton and Habitat for Humanity.
Still, with all the help available to clients, recovery has not always been easy.
“They sat here across from me and told me their stories,” Iman said of the families he met with Monday. “Their lives have been turned upside down and they don’t know what to do next. They talked about reliving the event.
“It’s not only affected them financially with their ability to carry on their life, but it’s affected them psychologically. That has a lot to do with their ability to recover.”
Iman said the chapter and coordinating agencies have put together a recovery “package” for clients.
“Between all of those agencies we’re able to help with rental assistance, household furnishings and other household items,” he noted. “Combine all of the agencies and we’re able to help people re-establish themselves with some semblance of getting back to normal.”
The apartment building had 26 of the 30 units occupied at the time of the fire. The chapter has assisted 25 families – which accounts for 39 adults and 21 children – since the incident.
“A lot of what we are doing now is working through the details with them,” Iman said. “They just need somebody to talk to who can help them work through the process of recovery. That’s what I’ve been spending my time on.”
Some clients who received initial chapter help have returned to the Red Cross seeking additional assistance.
“There has not been anybody that we haven’t been able to help,” said Iman, who wrote two referrals to the Salvation Army Monday. “There are some people that are just mad still and they don’t know what to do. I had one lady who really didn’t want to take any advice I was willing to give her.”
No matter the client’s demeanor, the Red Cross is at the ready to assist.
“As people go through this recovery process, we at the Red Cross are here to stand beside them and help them work through it,” Iman said. “We are here to help them with guidance to additional resources. We’re also offering emotional support.”

Family of five affected
BOONVILLE — American Red Cross Heart of Missouri Chapter volunteers are assisting a five-member Booneville family after a fire at their home Wednesday.
The Red Cross received a call about 11 p.m. Wednesday seeking assistance for family members who lived on Fourth Street.
Two Columbia volunteers dispatched to Boonville and met with the family. The Red Cross provided financial assistance for the family to meet their immediate emergency needs with the purchase of food and a one-night motel stay.
Family members also received Red Cross comfort kits, which contain personal hygiene items. The children received small stuffed animals.
Volunteers will monitor the family’s recovery process.

Family of five displaced
CAIRO — American Red Cross Heart of Missouri Chapter volunteers are assisting a five-member Cairo family whose home burned Tuesday.
The client called the Red Cross Tuesday afternoon seeking assistance. Two Moberly volunteers responded to the scene on Shaw Street.
After meeting with the clients, the Red Cross provided financial assistance for them to meet their immediate emergency needs with the purchase of food, clothing and a temporary motel stay.
Clients also received Red Cross comfort kits, which contain personal hygiene items, and referrals to local partner agencies.
Volunteers will monitor the family’s recovery process.

Camping trailer home washed away
St. ROBERT — American Red Cross Heart of Missouri Chapter volunteers are assisting a rural St. Robert family who lost their home Friday in a flash flood on the Gasconade River.
The five-member family was living in a camping trailer on Laramie Road in rural Pulaski County when rising water washed away the trailer.
A client called the Red Cross Saturday morning seeking assistance and two volunteers met the client in Rolla.
The Red Cross provided financial assistance for the family to meet their immediate emergency needs with the purchase of food, clothing and a temporary motel stay.
Clients also received Red Cross comfort kits, which contain personal hygiene items, and referrals to local agencies.
Volunteers will follow up with the family on Monday.